1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a support bracket for an outboard motor and, more particularly, to a support bracket that prevents the outboard motor from moving upward and downward relative to an upward trim position and also prevents the outboard motor from moving rotatably about its steering axis when in an upwardly trimmed position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to those skilled in that art that outboard motors can be raised to an upward trim position and maintained in that position for relatively long periods of time. For example, when transporting a marine vessel, it is common to move the outboard motor to an upwardly tilted position during the transporting of the boat on a trailer towed by an automobile. In addition, it is common to raise the outboard motor to an upwardly tilted position relative to the transom of a boat during the use of the boat, particularly when the outboard motor is a spare outboard motor, or xe2x80x9ckickerxe2x80x9d motor. If the marine vessel is subjected to shock loads, such as during movement of the boat over waves or rough water, the upward position of a tilted outboard motor can subject the support structure of the outboard motor to severe stresses. As a result, the transom bracket of the outboard motor can be subjected to stress that is sufficient to cause fracture of the bracket. When this occurs, it is possible for the outboard motor to be disconnected from the transom of a boat and be lost overboard.
Those skilled in the art of outboard motor manufacture and use are familiar with many different types of locking mechanisms used in conjunction with outboard motors to hold the motor in a preselected position, such as an upwardly tilted position used during transportation of the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,328, which issued to Kloiber on Jan. 15, 1974, discloses an outboard motor anti-tilt locking mechanism which incorporates locking fingers that are actuated by a flexible shaft driven by a channel cam keyed to the shift shaft of the engine. A readily disassemblable ball joint links the flexible operating shaft to a rotating mechanism carrying the locking fingers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,591, which issued to Kleeman et al on Feb. 9, 1999, discloses a swivel lock for an outboard motor. First and second latch mechanisms are provided that allow a boat operator to prevent the movable and stationary portions of an outboard motor from moving relative to each other. This device can be used during shipping, transportation, or use of an outboard motor in conjunction with a sailboat in which the rudder of the sailboat is used for steering, and it is desirable to maintain the movable and stationary portions of an outboard motor rigidly with respect to each other. A first latch mechanism is attached to the movable portion of the outboard motor and a second latch mechanism is attached to the stationary portion of the outboard motor. The second latch mechanism is rotatable to place a receptacle into a region where a locking device can retain it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,459, which issued to Slattery on May 2, 1989, discloses a tilt mechanism for an outboard motor. The mechanism includes a series of trim and shallow water operation positions which may be preset by the operator and from which the motor may be temporarily tilted up without engaging and being held in a higher tilt position. Correspondingly, elimination of the condition requiring or causing the temporary tilt-up allows direct return of the motor to the original trim position. Alternatively, a manually operable trim ratchet assembly allows the operator to temporarily tilt the engine to and have it held at a higher trim position if desired. Disengagement of the trim ratchet assembly also allows direct return of the motor to the original trim position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,148, which issued to Kollock et al on Sep. 18, 1984, discloses a tilt mechanism for an outboard motor. The mechanism has a swivel bracket pivotally attached to a transom bracket. A trim pin is carried by a trim pin carrier which is pivotally attached to the swivel bracket. The trim pin travels in cam slots which define two connected cam loops and act as a ratchet with notches in the cam slots to establish trim and tilt positions for the propulsion unit. The two cam loops allow the propulsion unit to be returned to the uppermost position without dropping to the lowest position first. A moveable return cam in the lower loop allows the operator to select the lowest trim position to which the unit will return.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,496, which issued to Lokken on Jan. 5, 1999, discloses an overcenter uplock assembly for an outboard motor. The assembly for an outboard motor tilt mechanism has a pair of brackets pivotally connected with an overcenter hinge. The uplock assembly has a lever that an operator uses to force the brackets into an in-line, end-to-end overcenter configuration in which the lower bracket supports against a horizontal support axle attached to the trim mechanism and an upper bracket pushes against a swivel bracket of the tilt mechanism. The upper and lower brackets are sized so that the swivel bracket is pushed beyond its normal full up trailering position into a tight configuration in which the swivel bracket and motor are restrained from bouncing even under excessively rough transportation conditions. Preferably, the uplock assembly includes a lever guide member having a catch mechanism that secures the lever in a fixed position when the uplock assembly is engaged to support the outboard motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,430, which issued to Lutzke et al on May 25, 1982, discloses a trim mechanism with an automatic return. A tilt mechanism for a marine propulsion device is provided with a swivel bracket pivotally attached to a transom bracket. A trim pin is carried by a trim pin carrier which is pivotally attached to the swivel bracket. The trim pin travels in cam tracks on the transom bracket and engages notches in the cam tracks to establish trim and tilt positions for the propulsion device. An axially step in the cam track shifts the trim pin to a return cam surface to allow automatic return from the uppermost to the lowest position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,410, which issued to Boda on May 15, 1990, discloses a tilt mechanism lock for an outboard motor. A conventional tilt mechanism for an outboard motor is provided with a series of trim position notches and an uppermost trailering position notch including a tilt position locking mechanism which is manually operable to lock the motor in the trailering position to positively prevent downward movement therefrom, either intentionally or inadvertently as a result of a shock load or jarring of the motor. The tilt locking mechanism is incorporated completely into one of the clamping members of a conventional tilt mechanism such that it does not interfere whatever with conventional operation of the tilt mechanism when in the unlocked position or with movement of the motor to the trailering position when in the locked position. However, downward movement of the motor when the mechanism is in the locked position is absolutely precluded.
The patents described above are hereby explicitly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.
It would be significantly beneficial if a device could be provided that supports an outboard motor in an upwardly tilted position and prevents rotation in either an upward or downward direction about its tilt access while also inhibiting rotation of the outboard motor about its steering access.
A support mechanism for an outboard motor made in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a latching device that is rigidly attached to an outboard motor and, more specifically, to the driveshaft housing of the outboard motor. It also comprises a support arm which has a pivot portion and a latching portion. The pivot portion is attachable to a transom of a marine vessel, and more specifically, to a transom bracket of the outboard motor. The pivot portion is rotatable about an axis of rotation which is generally parallel to and in a fixed relationship with the transom of a marine vessel. Rotation of the pivot portion causes the latching portion to move in relation to the latching device which is attached to the outboard motor. The latching device is shaped to capture the latching portion of the support arm and to thereby inhibit movement of the latching portion relative to the latching device and also inhibit movement of the outboard motor relative to the transom.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support arm comprises a rod which is shaped in a generally U-shaped configuration with a first distal end and a second distal end disposed to define an axis of rotation therebetween. The first and second distal ends combine to define the pivot portion of the support arm. The latching portion is generally disposed midway along the length of the rod between the first and distal ends of the support arm.
The latching portion of the support arm comprises a generally straight segment of the support arm and the latching device comprises an open slot shaped to receive the latching portion of the support arm therein. The latching device comprises a capture slot shaped to receive the latching portion in captive association therein, whereby the capture slot is proximate the open slot to allow the latching portion of the support arm to move between the open slot and the capture slot.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises a capture bar that is slidably disposed within the latching device and movable between an open position and a capture position. The latching portion is movable from the capture slot to the open slot when the capture bar is in the open position, but the latching position is inhibited from moving from the capture slot to the open slot when the capture bar is in the capture position. The capture bar is shaped to permit the latching portion to cause the capture bar to move from the capture position to the open position in response to a force exerted by the latching portion against the capture bar. A resilient member is provided, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, for urging the capture bar from the open position toward the capture position. This resilient member can be a spring. A handle is attached to the latching device in order to allow the capture bar to be forced, against the urging of the resilient member, toward the open position. This urging is accomplished manually by the operator of a marine vessel who moves the handle to move the capture bar from the capture position to the open position.
The support arm of the present invention is rotatable between a first position, wherein the support arm is generally disposed within a plane that is generally parallel to the transom of a marine vessel and a second position, wherein the latching portion is disposed within the latching device. The latching device is rigidly attached to a driveshaft housing of the outboard motor in a preferred embodiment and the support arm is rotatably attached to a transom bracket of the outboard motor in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.